Predator
by RainbowTroller
Summary: The power had been demonstrated, the stakes had been set, and the demands stated. A slightly smaller hand settled in her own, interlocking their fingers while the smile was all bright white teeth and deceptive softness. Nothing could be done.
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing**: Faye Chamberlain/Diana Meade

**Fandom**: The Secret Circle

**Length**: 1000+

**Description**: The power had been demonstrated, the stakes had been set, and the demands stated. There was no other choice. None. Nothing could be done. Absolutely nothing. She didn't move when the thin silver chained dropped to settle around her neck and only flinched when her hair was brushed back and adjusted behind the necklace. A slightly smaller hand settled in her own, interlocking their fingers and the smile was all bright white teeth and deceptive softness.

**Warnings: Bitches be cray, man. But, seriously, this treads on the dark side and there is clearly abuse.**

* * *

><p>The headache was back.<p>

Her hands trembled and the book slipped from her fingers to land with a thud on the floor of the hallway in which she stood. The most that she could do was hastily bend to grab the fallen text to shove back in her locker so that she could still escape while there was time. The throbbing in her temple blinded her to the ambient noise and made her fumble with the clutch of her bag. It hurt so much. It was disorienting. But, that was probably _her_ purpose in causing it.

"_Faye_."

The voice was musical and, while it almost felt like it carried across a great distance to reach her ears, was clear enough to startle her. This voice was one that she had become accustomed to hearing on a daily basis ever since its arrival in her life a few weeks ago. It had seemed innocent then; a passing sound that would fade away into the boring lull of high school.

She had been at her locker, much like her current position, when she heard the voice say her name for the first time and found herself turning around. The sarcastic snipe that had been ready on her tongue tumbled back into her throat and she choked on it. The silence had not been the result of shock or attraction or any other lame excuse that she could think of. No, it literally felt as though she were being slowly choked even as the owner of the voice let out a soft laugh and leaned in, a hand on her shoulder, to whisper in her ear.

The words had made her gasp as she felt the pressure lift from her neck and clutched at her throat in relief, frozen to the spot. She couldn't speak as she gazed into those glittering eyes, so outwardly innocent and attractive. It was only in the coming days that she understood the madness that lurked beneath the surface. She could see the changes and phases that those eyes went through and it terrified her. She knew when they hid brutal, boiling rage. She knew when they foretold a violent act. She knew when they meant trouble for her. Most of all, she knew that they were utterly serious when they uttered the threats against her mother and the Circle.

The power had been demonstrated, the stakes had been set, and the demands stated. There was no other choice. None. Nothing could be done. Absolutely nothing. She didn't move when the thin silver chained dropped to settle around her neck and only flinched when her hair was brushed back and adjusted behind the necklace. A slightly smaller hand settled in her own, interlocking their fingers and the smile was all bright white teeth and deceptive softness.

When Cassie had learned the this girl was her new girlfriend, the reaction had been a flickering expression and then a smile. A half-hearted smile, Faye could tell. Something was in those baby blues that she couldn't quite understand and wasn't sure that she wanted to with the blonde being such a new addition to her life. She had made a point of trying to communicate with and get to know her new 'love', as an extension of an olive branch to Faye. Adam had not been pleased with Cassie's special attention to Faye and, predictably, griped and sulked about it in his very Adam way.

Melissa had stared Faye down with a certain curiosity before engaging herself by talking to the newcomer. Occasionally, there would be laughing and joking. Faye could see sweet Melissa's walls dropping and the girl was trusting and relaxing far too easily. Perhaps it was that a new presence was more welcome as a distraction from the omnipresent feeling of loss after Nick's death.

Diana had in an entire league of her own as far as reactions went. Her eyes had never left Faye's, not once since the announcement. Not once even when the new girl attempted to get her attention. Those eyes bore into Faye's and there was something deep and powerful in them that made her voice catch in her throat. It was odd and unlike any expression that Faye had seen before. There were so many emotions in that intense gaze that she couldn't even begin to sort them out except for the one that flashed the brightest: hurt.

That hadn't made sense at all.

"Faye, come on now, _love_." The voice grounded her back in reality, ringing loudly in her ears.

"Yeah…" Faye pushed her locker closed without really thinking about what was going on. Her hand slipped down and accepted the one that waited for her so expectantly. The grip was tight. No, the grip was _too_ tight. She was being punished for not responding to the witch's summons immediately. Her fingers were being crushed uncomfortably to the point of pain.

"Faye, I- Oh, hi."

That was Diana. She stood, book clasped across her stomach as she looked uncertainly from Faye to the girl grasping her hand. Diana's eyes lingered their held hands and she chewed on her bottom lip as she considered them for a moment. It was a very curious display of behavior even considering just how odd Diana had been acting since the announcement.

"We're in a bit of a rush, did you need something from my girl?" There was an underlying threat to that voice, as civil and even friendly as it sounded. Faye didn't think that Diana knew just how much danger she could be in even though she creased her brow at the possessive claim. How could anyone know? Who would suspect when Faye was forced to play along?

"Did you want to come to Cassie's for, for time with just us this weekend?" Diana's voice was strong. "I mean, you're invited too, if you wanted…"

A smile made Faye's heart sink. There was nothing kind about that look.

"No, no, that sounds great. Faye should have some times with her friends, shouldn't you, babe?" This decline of the invitation made Diana's mouth twitch up at the corner ever so slightly. Faye blinked and shook her head slightly, but the expression was gone. Maybe she imagined it.

"Yeah," She cleared her throat, trying her best to sound casual, "A night with you losers would be fine, I guess."

"Great. We'll see you there." Diana's smile was genuine when she left.

The girl who was known as Shannon Tangari to the rest of the world just smiled sweetly as she continued to crush Faye's hand in her own. Faye knew her as Shaitan, the demon


	2. Chapter 2

"_You're going to do what I say, Faye. You're going to do what I want you to do, act how I want you to act, and take anything that I kindly do to you without uttering a peep to any of your friends or family. You're going to smile and laugh. You're going to be your normal sarcastic self. Do you want to know why, Chamberlain witch? If I find that you've spilled the truth to anyone, I will put them through such immense pain that they will wish that they were dead. All of your friends, family, anyone I've even seen you glance at: they'll all wish that they were dead. When they're begging for death, I'll have you watch as they bleed out slowly and you're left alone in the world. And it'll all be your fault. You can't beat me, Faye. I'm Shaitan."_

Hands slid around her bare shoulders, circling to her front in order to trace her collarbone with feather light fingers. The touches were all gentle and the presently the nails on those delicate looking fingers only just scraped along the surface of her skin. The sensation sent chills down her spine in a way that would have been welcome and pleasant had it not been for the individual causing it. Her hands clutched the sheet tighter against her chest as she chewed her bottom lip, eyes absently staring into space.

The words that had trapped her in this agreement just played on repeat in her mind. Agreement was too strong of a word, she thought, as fingernails dug into her skin with increasing pressure. She knew better than to try and escape the impending pain of nails breaking through her sensitive flesh to draw blood. When she moved away, it was always that much worse.

Faye was trying, she really was. She was doing everything to convince herself to be strong because she was doing what was necessary for survival. Not just her survival, but her mother's survival, Melissa's survival, even the Circle's survival. Diana's survival.

Shaitan was not pleased with the close scrutiny that Faye was under from Diana. It had been addressed about a week ago with the girl moved into the crosshairs of the demon's wrath and attention. That was just who Diana was, Faye had tried to reason while struggling to keep her voice from quaking at the cold calculation in those intense eyes. She was just the type of person who cared and worried relentlessly when she thought that something was wrong with someone that she cared about.

No matter what their relationship looked like on the outside, Faye knew that Diana cared for her.

They had known each other for years and had been solid friends before growing apart after Adam came into the picture. Suddenly, everything was just different. Things changed. Diana was the perfect girl with the brightest looking future and the devoted relationship that lasted for years. Faye, the principal's daughter, was known as the resident badass. She was the rule-breaker, the rebel, the bad girl. She was the one rumored to give it up to the stoners and the other assorted outcasts because they were the crowd that they hung around with. Hell, Nick was rumored to even have been her first. Then there were the whispers of just how much of a slut she was for sleeping with both Armstrong brothers. She was the girl who was more-or-less shunned for what people said about her.

Faye had held her head high and fixed that oh-so mysterious smirk on her lips every time that she felt eyes watching her in the hallways. Snickers and sneers aimed in her direction for her reputation as easy. Yet, none of them bothered to ask about the truth. She had slept with Jake once, that was true. And he, being who he was, went about with a puffed chest and casual laugh as he bragged about his conquest. Faye had been young and naive; she had believed that sex meant something more than it did. It was from Jake that she learned that sexual advances could be used as a means to an end. She never went through with those advances.

After her second sexual experience, Faye had called Diana. It had been freezing and the rain had been pouring, but Diana came to the park that they used to play in as children. Faye had been sitting on the swing, drenched and shivering, but making no other movement to show that she was aware of the downpour. The raindrops had felt sharp against the exposed skin. There had been plenty of it between the thin tank-top plastered to her curves and soaked jeans. The feeling of a dry jacket being wrapped around her shoulders was the only greeting that Diana gave. Faye hadn't been able to find the words to describe just how confusing it had been to sleep with that girl.

Faye had cried while Diana cradled her in her arms. They never spoke of that night.

Diana had only done one thing wrong: care about Faye. Now, her life was in danger.

It had just been a harder day than usually that had been preceded by an even more difficult night. Underneath the black leather jacket that she self-consciously kept tugging closer around her were a myriad of purples and greens that darkened to a color like black at the worst points. Faye knew that her facade had been faltering that day. It wavered and cracked to the point that some pain must have been visible through the gaps in her armor because Diana hadn't stopped watching her with that little frown on her lips.

"Faye?" She had almost jumped out of her skin at the sound of her name. It was usually just a word that Shaitan used to taunt her these days. Diana wasn't blind and definitely noticed the odd reaction.

"What do you want?" Faye had tried to keep her voice strong and curt but managed to fail miserably. This seemed to cause Diana even more worry than she had been experiencing before because she reached out and coaxingly grasped Faye's hands before she could be stopped.

"You can talk to me, Faye." Diana bit her lip. "I know we've… grown apart, but you can still talk to me. Something's wrong, I can see it. You're just trying so hard not to let anyone know and I can't figure out why. Please, Faye-"

"Faye." She jumped away from Diana, wrenching her hands from her grasp as quickly as possible.

Way to be subtle, Chamberlain.

This had been the event that put Diana in the spotlight. Faye couldn't help but wonder, '_Why me? What did I do?_' even as the demon in her bed bit down hard on her pulse point. She had asked one time, at the beginning of this arrangement.

Shaitan had just smiled and said, "You're paying for the sins of your father."


	3. Chapter 3

Faye fingered the penny-sized serpent charm hanging around her neck as she stared just below the flashing television screen. The other three girls had been insistent about watching a movie after spending a rather long time discussing utterly random topics over the dinner that Faye had volunteered to cook. The food hd turned out very well, as it always did. Not many people knew that Faye was actually excellent with all things culinary. Actually, the only one who knew was Melissa and that was only because they were best friends.

At one point, she had had to herd the other girls to the table in order to make them sit so that she could work in peace. They had wanted to hover around and watch her before she reached that breaking point. Even then, Faye could feel eyes on her. They were persistent and unwavering, thoughtful and considerate of every movement that she made around the stovetop and cutting board.

When she had looked up to irritably tell Diana to stop staring, she had been surprised to see that it wasn't Diana at all. In fact, Diana was deeply engaged in another conversation with Melissa. No, it was Cassie who was eyeing her like a hawk. Faye hadn't known what to make of it, so she just brushed it off uncertainly. She had needed to focus, not be distracted by wandering thoughts as she handled a very sharp knife.

Yet, she had still managed to cut into the palm of her hand. To be fair, her mind was intently focused on Shaitan. There was some sort of ulterior motive for having let her spend time alone with the rest of the girls in the Circle. The catch was hidden somewhere. She knew that it was. It was veiled beneath the lilting voice or soft smile that gave such a misleading impression of innocence and kindness. It was doing her head in trying to figure out the clues though. The answer was there somewhere.

Faye had to bitterly smile at just how much amusement it would cause if Shaitan knew how much she was worrying. It was the only thing that she could really and solely concentrate on. Worrying was something that took up the majority of Faye's time these days.

Finally, she couldn't stand being in the same room as all of the pointless noise and overdramatic actors in their subpar movie. The excuse that she gave as she stood up was unconvincing at best, but she just didn't care about whether or not her friends were satisfied with it. She felt eyes follow her from the room. God, couldn't anyone just leave her the fuck alone? It was hard enough to fake a smile and a laugh on a normal day around people she didn't even like. It was even harder to put up the falsehoods when she was around people that she actually cared about. But, no, one of the girls couldn't leave well enough alone. They couldn't just let her be. They couldn't leave her to suffer by herself.

Faye knew that one of them was lingering in the hallway, presumably trying to figure out whether or not to enter the bedroom after her. She wasn't going to acknowledge them if they weren't even going to follow. Her fingers paused under the hem of her shirt, cautiously waiting before she made a move. She knew that if someone came in at the wrong moment, there would be Hell to pay with the questions she would have to make up excuses for. Her pale skin looked as discolored as though someone had taken a baseball bat and beat her with it. She was a giant walking bruise.

"Faye, can I talk to you?"

Faye immediately dropped her shirt and even pulled it down more to make sure that every inch of injured flesh was covered sufficiently. She whirled on the spot, plastering her usual bored and expectant half-smile on her lips as she waited for Cassie Blake to keep going with whatever it was that she wanted to say. A silence fell between them. The air felt thicker than it had been as Cassie took another step towards her. Those deeply blue eyes never wavered from hers and it was making her feel uncomfortably vulnerable.

Faye cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow impatiently, biting her lower lip as she waited. The words didn't come though, not right away. They just stood there, across from each other. Cassie was framed by the doorway and Faye was just in the middle of the room, rooted to the spot. She willed herself to move and to say something snarky, but the atmosphere was different than she had ever felt it. Maybe it was a witch thing and maybe it was something else, but, either way, it made her pulse rise and adrenaline flood through her veins. She balled her hands into fists in an attempt to stop them from trembling so much.

The tension quickly became too much to handle and she snapped, "Out with it, Blondie. I'm trying to get changed here."

"Faye, I don't you should be dating Shannon anymore. I don't… Something's off. And… I don't think she treats you well enough. Not like how you deserve to be treated. There are plenty of people who would be better. I think that you should - should think about maybe breaking it off." There. It had been said. Faye scoffed coldly.

She narrowed her eyes and stepped into Cassie's personal space without hesitation. Invading another person's bubble was generally a good way of intimidating them. People did not like it when others got too close without express permission. The normal person would take an instinctive step away from their intimidator, forgetting that such an act was a sign of submission and weakness.

Cassie didn't.

"Please, Cassie. Don't be stupid." Faye curled her lip in her best look of disdain and mocking. "Shannon's the only one who is actually willing to tolerate me so don't give me that shit-"

"That's not true, Faye, and you know it!" Cassie's voice was strong as she inched closer. Faye blinked. She had no idea what to think of this.

"Give me one example, Blake, and I'll give you a million reasons why they wouldn't have anything to do with me."

"Faye, stop saying that-"

"I'm the whore, remember? Haven't you heard about it around school? I'm that bitchy slut who will sleep with anyone to get what she wants." Faye's voice was raising with her resentment of everyone. She hated everyone who had ever spread those rumors about her. She hated that people never thought to question them. She hated that Shaitan was able to exploit her every weakness, shortcoming and insecurity to control her. The words had been repeated so often and so venomously to her that she believed them, "No one else would stick around, Cassie. _No one_."

"_**I**_ would!" The shout left Faye dumbstruck and uncomprehending. What?

"_**I**_ would be there for you, Faye. _**I**_ would treat you better than Shannon does." This had to be some sort of dream. Faye was ready to accept this thought until it was burst by a pair of soft lips catching her own. She was kissing Cassie. She, Faye Chamberlain, was kissing Cassie Blake. Wait… No. Cassie Blake had kissed _her_.

"Is everything okay… Faye?" The voice was uncertain and weak. The question had died in her throat at the scene that the bedroom door opened up to.

Diana stared at her. Faye stared right back, unable to think of anything to say


	4. Chapter 4

Predator, Part 4

**Pairing**: Faye Chamberlain/Diana Meade **Fandom**: The Secret Circle **Length**: 1000+ **Description**: The power had been demonstrated, the stakes had been set, and the demands stated. There was no other choice. None. Nothing could be done. Absolutely nothing. She didn't move when the thin silver chained dropped to settle around her neck and only flinched when her hair was brushed back and adjusted behind the necklace. A slightly smaller hand settled in her own, interlocking their fingers and the smile, all bright white teeth and deceptive softness.

**Author's Note**: Welcome to 2012, members of Fayana fandom who read this! Here is your present for the new year. Sorry, I don't have fireworks.

**Warnings: These warnings will be the same every chapter. There's an abusive significant other and angst. **

The amused chuckling that greeted her when she entered her home the morning after the sleepover was enough to make her shiver. The silky voice wrapped itself around her almost as tangibly as the slender arms that curled around her waist in a tight bastardization of a loving embrace. The close physical contact never failed to make her heart skip a beat.

"So, who made the move, my pet?" The question was posed in such an innocent voice that Faye didn't register what she is being asked right away. Her brain paused, working through the words as they befuddle her and fail to make sense. When she understood what exactly had been questioned, her face burned deeply. She could almost feel the color moving into her cheeks at the reminder of the night's events.

"You knew?" Faye could stop the accusation in her voice. With the stress of having returned the kiss from Cassie Blake, her normal inhibitions were lowered and her outrage was becoming more prominent. She was questioning something that clearly wash't her place to question. It was a dangerous move but she continued, pushing at Shannon's collar bone to make her back away, "What do you mean '_who_'? It was just Cassie."

Her actions, luckily, went unpunished. It would seem that Shaitan's glee was overwhelming her normally low tolerance for even the smallest motions of rebellion. The smaller blonde began to slowly smile. The amount of innate charm that oozed from the demon's very presence was wholly unsettling. A hand reached out to stroke her cheek lightly. The eyes sparkled with something all too deeply in thought and far more cruelly mischievous than she ever liked to see.

There was just something wrong with this situation, Faye felt it in how her muscles refused to stop trembling. She found that she couldn't keep trying to stare the demon in the eyes. She was no match in a fight of intimidation. Shaitan would always win these little nonverbal contests of domination. It was an unwelcome but very true fact of her life.

The demon-disguised-girl, so innocently and captivatingly beautiful in looks and demeanor, bared her teeth in what was obviously a cold grin. There was no warmth in her face, no reassuring tones to her eyes, no kind glint to her smile. It was all hard, frigid lines that promised nothing but more confusion and tension. That was always the expression that heralded trouble.

"Cassie Blake, was it?" A chuckle and then a mocking, "You'd have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to have seen that coming from a couple of miles off. Not all that bright, are you, _sweetheart_? What's even funnier, and you'll love this, is that she isn't the only one. The Blake girl is not the only one who stares at you and wonders what it would be like to seduce you into bed with her. Blake isn't the only one who gets jealous every time that I show that I can have you but she can't. Blake isn't the only one who so obviously and hopelessly cares for you."

"This…" Faye couldn't think of anything appropriate to say that would end with her broken bones or badly bruised and beaten muscles.

"You'll find out soon enough, foolish Faye." A purred promise close to her ear. She couldn't stop the chill that caused the hair to stand up on the back of her neck.

Faye had to go throughout her day in a haze. Her feelings are a messed up mix of fear, anger and utter bewilderment. What in the hell had caused Cassie to want and act on the urge to kiss _her_, Faye? From the first day that they had known each other, it hadn't been a secret that the pair clashed. Then at the lake house, when their vicious shouting match broke out, she had been sure that that was the end to that particularly relationship and ever bit of civility related to it. Yet, somehow, her mind still was poking at her. A little voice was murmuring at the back of her thoughts. Everything was getting linked together.

She was obviously intrigued by the new girl's possessed power and Cassie had been interested in her because of the mystery behind her behavior. It was apparent from even the first time that Faye had smiled slowly said, as a way of introducing herself in the vaguest way possible with only a simple statement instead of giving an actual name by which she could be addressed. "You're very pretty." was all that she had said before unlocking the locked locker with magic.

Okay, so it had been an unusual first encounter with an absolute stranger, but Faye had been far too impatient to allow the girl to approach the lure and hook by herself. She had had to do something to speed along her progress. Nick and Melissa were too hands-off, Diana wanted to pull her into the fold as slowly and smoothly as possible, Adam had made gaga eyes at the girl since he first saw her. Overall, Cassie was the subject of a lot of discussion before she even knew that any of them existed. They had been talking about Cassie for quite a while before she even moved into town.

When the girl actually materialized, it was a bit like meeting a mythical figure. It was someone who one wanted to meet and thought about theoretically, but also that one didn't seriously consider appearing in the flesh. Cassie just showed up after a tragedy and that was that. The blonde appeared to be in the lives of the Circle for good. There was an unexplainable supernatural connection between all of them. It was weaker after Nick's death, but it was there. It was always there.

At some point during the day, Diana had showed up on her doorstep. She was nervously occupying her hands by wringing the fingers together. The brunette's appearance was entirely unexpected. Plagued by the thoughts of what she had been told that morning by her demonic 'girlfriend', the visit was very much unwelcome. She didn't want whatever this was to be happening at all. There was too much confusion over what to do with Cassie. It wasn't like she could just end the fake relationship with Shannon; that would result in too much blood shed and torture. Even if she were able to get into a relationship, would she really want that with Cassie Blake? Did they actually have that sort of chemistry together?

Faye found herself thinking back to the kiss. She wasn't opposed to doing it again. Now, that thought was scary.

"She really likes you, you know." It was blurted out. The room was thick with the weight of what had been acknowledged. Faye briefly had to wonder just why this was so heavy between them. That thought brought up even scarier possibilities.

"Who?" Faye cautiously tried to play dumb, begging Diana to derail and move to another topic. Her counterpart wasn't having any of that. Their eyes met and there were so many emotions swimmings in those soulful brown irises that Faye just forgot how to form words for a few moments. She read a lot of things in those eyes, but what did that mean? Was she even reading those feelings right? It wasn't like Faye was the best with interpersonal interactions.

Diana crossed her bedroom floor, moving to pick up a framed photograph. It left her back to Faye but the smile could be heard in her voice. She could picture those lips curling upward at the corners. The picture in question was of an earlier time in their lives. It was before Faye was 'the bad girl' and before Diana was 'the good girl'. It was when they were just Diana and Faye, friends. It had been an easier time, the lives of those eight-year old friends pictured on the pier with small fishing poles.

Faye was excellent with the outdoors, she always had been. It was her natural element. Outside was her favorite place to be. The lakes, the mountains, the beach, the woods. She enjoyed it all. She would lead Diana on magnificent adventures when they had been younger. They would play in streams, catch tadpoles and fireflies. When it came time that Diana's father wanted to try and bond with his daughter over a day of fishing, it had been insisted that Faye go as well. Faye was a natural at fishing. She wasn't squeamish, she didn't hesitate, and she was happy to entertain both herself and Diana while waiting for the fish to take the bait. Diana hadn't caught any fish; Faye had caught three.

"You gave me a fish that day." The words were low, almost whispered as though they were secret. Faye cautiously stepped in closer, listening, "You gave me a fish because I was upset that I couldn't do it. You told my dad that I had caught it. You talked me up so much that trip, Faye."

This was true. It was also information that Faye already knew, so why was it being brought up at all? Diana was acting strange even as she set the frame back down on the dresser. Faye wasn't going to interrupt. She just wanted what needed to be said to be said so that she could send Diana on her way home. She had other things to worry about. Like understanding how she felt about Cassie.

"I'm jealous, you know." These words were even softer. Slender fingers traced the frame of the fishing photograph before moving to another that included the pair of them as well as Melissa and Nick a year or so later. "Cassie just comes into our lives and she knows what she wants. She knows who she wants. She's not afraid to take risks and she goes for it."

Faye's heart sank. Her chest constricted and it felt like she couldn't breath properly as she braced herself against the end of her bed. Something was burning in her face. She wondered absently if her head had suddenly caught fire from the heat flooding her cheeks. This had to be a trick. She was misinterpreting everything. She was just misunderstanding the vocal inflections and body language. It didn't mean what she thought it meant. After all, there was the matter of the boy who came in between their old friendship.

"Cassie made the move. I, I didn't think she would, honestly." Diana cuts herself off.

"Diana..." Faye doesn't even know how to finish the sentence. She has so much trouble speaking these days.

Diana was suddenly much closer than she had been. A hand hovered halfway between their bodies and it was obvious that she was trying to decide on whether or not to touch Faye. But everything was interrupted. The sparks were killed and the tension was snapped in half and pushed away with force as Shannon asked, "Faye, oh, I'm sorry, baby, did I interrupt?"

There was nothing but icy blades in that tone. It was taunting and promised blood. Faye hadn't even heard the demon enter her house. God, she was just damned sneaky like that. She was very quiet. Too quiet; unnaturally so. A hand brushes over Diana's skin. The effects were instantaneous as Diana jerked away, her eyes wide as the hair on her arms immediately stuck up and goose flesh rose. The wide-eyed look of momentary unsettling dread and fear disappears. Diana appeared to be berating herself.

"Do you want to join us for lunch, Diana? It'd be fun to get to know you!" Faye just wanted to cry.

Diana was firmly in Shannon's crosshairs now. The invitation wasn't to lunch. No, the invitation was to her world of cruelty and blackmail and torture. It was an unwitting invitation to submit as Shaitan's plaything. And Diana had just smiled and said yes.


	5. Chapter 5

"Please, just leave her alone." This wasn't the first time that she had taken to pleading and begging. Her voice was hoarse with fear. Faye had been doing everything in her power whenever she had a few seconds alone with Shannon just to try to garner some mercy on Diana's behalf for whatever sins she may have committed in the demon's eyes. Still, and it was what happened every single time, the blonde just grinned innocently and ignored every word that fell from her lips.

"Now, Faye, don't let Diana hear you like that." It was as much chiding as it was a careful warning. "She might worry and think that something is wrong. Do you really want to trouble her like that? It'll just lead to questions, you know. Lots of questions. You know how impatient I can be with that sort of thing. I may lose my temper."

Faye persisted, rushing through the request with increasing urgency as she saw Diana's car pull up outside of the house, "Please, I've done everything that you want. Everything, I haven't said no. I let you do whatever you want to me, just leave her alone. Please."

"Faye." There was an edge to the playful voice. "Faye, Faye, Faye. That makes all of our intimacy sound so dirty when you put it that way. I know that you've enjoyed it too. Isn't that right?"

"Right." Faye was cotton-mouthed and nausea kicked at her stomach. Shannon stepped closer. An arm slid to her waist and nails dug into the bone of her hip in an obvious threat to draw blood. Not that it actually mattered what Faye said. They both knew the truth of those all too often sexual encounters. Faye tried desperately to pretend that they didn't happen and Shannon relished in her agony. "Right, of course. I didn't mean to say - I'm sorry, I just don't want her to get hurt."

The knock on the door came sooner than she wanted. Shannon grinned and floated to the door, pulling it open without giving Faye any time to collect herself. It was a set-up and it had the desired effect. Diana's eyes flickered immediately over Shannon's shoulder to find Faye who obviously hadn't been able to replace her fear with fake emotions in time.

Diana's eyes narrowed slightly and her lips parted as she started to focus her attention of Shannon with a somewhat accusing look in her eye. Faye forced a smile onto her lips as she tried to hurry forward without looking overly suspicious with her movements. Luckily, she managed to reach out and pull Diana forward into the house without a single intelligible question being asked. A glance back showed a nasty sparkle in Shannon's bright eyes as she closed the door.

For the duration of the drawn out dining and social affair, Faye tried to act normal even as she attempted to put the pieces of the puzzle together for Diana's sake. There was something very different about how Shannon was acting. In act, she had never behaved in such a way before. At least, she hadn't in Faye's presence.

Shannon leaned just ever so slightly forward when Diana spoke. She had an expression of the utmost attentiveness and seemed almost too interested in what was being said. There was physical contact. Small things, yes, but they were there nonetheless. Before these dalliances with Diana, Shannon had made a point to avoid essentially all touching with people other than Faye. Certainly, it wasn't the case now. Small brushes of exposed skin, amicable grasping of her hand, a lingering touch against Diana that lasted just a little too long.

Diana wasn't a stupid girl. Diana Meade wasn't considered 'the smart one' for absolutely no reason. No, Diana Meade was observant and she always had been. She was observant, both empathetic and sympathetic, and incredibly attuned to the moods of those around her. That was one of the differences between herself and Faye. She was able to take cues from just overall feelings and inexactitudes while Faye was innately and acutely aware of the minutiae of body language. Faye could almost see the curiosity and worry gaining the upper hand on the girl. It was abundantly obvious that she wanted to ask what was wrong.

It left Faye little choice but to pointedly avoid every single situation that may leave her unaccompanied with her friend. She couldn't risk breaking down and spilling out every truth to her once best friend. With no one to really turn to or talk to, she was effectively trying to isolate herself with Shannon. But, see, it was for everyone else's own good. If she shut them down and kept them securely locked out of her life, then they couldn't be actively used as leverage.

Diana wasn't halfway out of the door before Shannon was standing in front of her with a smile. A far too delighted and satisfied smile. It was as though the time with Diana had proved some sort of point to her. It made her skin crawl. The blonde stepped forward, that conspiratorial glint still gleaming in her eye.

"Faye, baby, I haven't told you what it is your father did to me, have I?" The tone was sickly-sweet. Faye just shook her head mutely. "See… He locked me in this little box in the form of a snake. He put a spell on the box and buried it with me inside. Buried alive, see? That was just incredibly rude of him, now, don't you agree?"

Something was wrong, Faye could feel it in her stomach.

"Quite a mixed message he sent." Shannon mused as she examined her nails. "He and his Circle call upon Abaddon and then suddenly they don't like it when friends are brought to his little party. So, he sealed the rest of us in that box and cursed Abaddon to be locked inside of some pathetic little woman until the day that she died. Imagine my surprise, darling, when, after sixteen years, our prison is opened to the world. The rest of my comrades wanted to wait to see who exactly had released us into the world. I didn't wait. I got out of there the moment that the spell was lifted. No spell, no barrier. I have you and yours to thank for that."

Her stomach threatened to reintroduce its contents to the world.

"Your father wasn't the first to seek the company of my kind. You come from generations of sinners, little witch; of people hungry for power and independence. Your grandfather imprisoned a valued companion of mine, but you have enough individual power to release him. And now that I've found the second key to the spell you will need, we'll be able to get this show moving. Exciting, isn't it? I've waited decades for this reunion."

"What was the second key to the spell?" Faye couldn't stop herself. She had to ask. The taunting smile that broadened on Shannon's lips was terrifying.

"Your grandfather used a particular emotion that demons are unable to imprison my _friend_." For some reason, she seemed even more excited to talk about it. "Love, little witch. My kind have no use for such an emotion. However, a pair of witches with a deep, loving relationship and connection…? Well, those witches could break the spell."

"What do you want with Diana?" Faye was cotton-mouthed. "Why is she so important? We haven't be close for years. Whatever you want with her won't work."

A throaty laugh and then a mocking, "_Oh_, you are blind."

Faye didn't respond.

"Today made it obvious that Diana is the right one for this job." Shannon smiled and reached out to grab Faye. She fisted her hands in her jacket to tug her in for a harsh meeting of lips. A sharp bite, which caused a whimper on Faye's part, and the metallic taste of blood leached into their mouths. She spoke her next words directly against Faye's mouth. "You're going to spill the blood of a loved one when I tell you to, Faye. Diana's blood."


	6. Chapter 6

If anyone had asked Faye if she were capable of such an extremely sacrificial act as she was thinking of at that moment at the pier, she would have scoffed and snidely mocked them for as long as she could before dismissing their existence. After all, why would such a thing even be necessary? Why would anyone think of such a thing? There was always another way and her Circle would damn well figure it out.

It was beautiful, the scene before her. The curls and crashing of the waves, the shimmer of the water in the moonlight, the smell of salt on the wind. It was a wonder that she hadn't spent more time out by the water, just admiring it. It was everything that she wasn't: strong and powerful, deep and relentless. Nothing could stop the vast ocean. Nothing could change the ocean. Nothing could force the ocean into anything.

There was no question about what had to be done, not in Faye's mind. Shannon had been very clear that she needed a witch descended from dark blood. Apparently, her entire family's legacy was based in the darker, fiercest forms of magic in existence. At least Shannon was more than pleased to demonstrate just how intimately she knew the Chamberlain bloodline.

The Chamberlain witches were the descendants of the Paisley witches of Scotland. After a large number of the Paisleys were found out, tried and executed for practicing, the escaped members managed to find a way to get over the the Americas. Under changed names, the newly dubbed Chamberlains sheltered themselves away and kept their craft very quiet so that they could become more powerful in peace.

However, one of the men of the Chamberlain bloodline was not pleased with how long and how much practice it took to become stronger. In secret, a Chamberlain and his carefully gathered Circle had called upon a higher demon by the name of Belial. The demon had come when called and, after some bloodshed as tribute, agreed to increase the man's power for a price: servitude. That Chamberlain accepted the offer.

It was the first time that a Chamberlain had been involved in the summoning of a demon, but it certainly wasn't the last. As a result of the deal that had been struck, Chamberlain magic had become darker than most. They had once specialized in healing and spells involving water, the assimilation of demonic energy into their bodies had resulted in a rapid change of their familial elements. Where their power once was in healing, it now was in destruction. Where their natural element of power had once been water, it was now fire.

Faye was not going to be like her father or her great-grandfather or her great-great-grandfather. She would not continue the legacy of Chamberlains making deals with the devil. In fact, she was going to do the very opposite to protect her friends and family from the future torment of being used and abused by every demon that located where they lived and decided to take advantage of their family history.

The youngest witch of the family would always be the most powerful, that was just the fact of life. The Elders were more practiced and experienced, but the youngest would always have the most potential to be exploited. It had been explained to her by her demonic 'girlfriend' in great detail and at great lengths. Shannon just delighted in talking about using her.

She found herself thinking of Cassie and that kiss that they had shared. Faye had been struggling to figure out how she felt about it. The blonde had been so new and powerful and intriguing, but a kiss? She just didn't know about beginning that sort of relationship with Cassie Blake. Did she even feel that way about her? Yes. No. Yes. Sort of. A small crush, perhaps. But, she would never get the chance to explore it now.

And what about Diana?

Her foot shifted and she cringed at the feeling of rope chafing her ankle. She had taken great care to make sure that her knot through the cinderblock couldn't be untied and neither could the other end around her ankle. Adrenaline rushed through her system as she nudged the heavy chunk of cement with the toe of her shoe. Her mind screamed at her as her thoughts flashed back to when she had almost drowned as a child. The steady, slow decrease in function of her limbs and organs had been terrifying. But at least she knew what to expect after she sank into the depths.

Faye wondered, briefly, when they would find her body.

"Faye - _Faye_, what are you doing?"

That was certainly one of the voices that she hadn't wanted to hear before this act under any circumstances. Still, she couldn't stop herself from looking over her shoulder at a wide-eyed Diana Meade. The girl was moving far too close, far too quickly. No, no, no, Diana couldn't do this to her. Faye narrowed her eyes and pressed her foot against the block in a clear warning. Diana understood and stopped rigidly in her tracks.

"Faye, please, just step back from the edge of the pier?" Her voice was forcibly calm but trembling tremulously. "You can't do this, Faye. I won't let you. Think about your mother and your friends and your girlfriend. What will Shannon-"

"I'm doing this because of all of that!" Faye snapped, eyes narrowed as she turned her body carefully sideways to better glare at her childhood best friend. Her voice became louder with her desperation and a note of pleading bled into her tone. "I'm trying to protect my mom and Melissa and Cassie and, hell, even _Adam_. And you, Diana. I'm doing all of this to protect all of you. You aren't safe. There's no other way to protect you from her. So, just let me go!"

She grabbed the heavy block and fell backwards into the ocean. The sound of Diana's scream was cut short as the water blasted her ears and grasped her in its icy grip. All of the air was forced from her lungs in a single shuddering gasp as she plunged deeper and deeper beneath the water. Her grandfather wasn't going to show up to help her this time. She had done this herself. Everything around her was dark and harsh and unforgiving, even the soft beads of sand that fluttered up around her at the disturbance that the cinder block attached to her ankle caused.

The feeling of choking and water rushing into her chest was horrifying and painful. She found her mind clouding and her hands started clutching at her throat in an attempt to assuage the agony that she was feeling. Her heart was beating wildly and every survival instinct that she possessed demanded that she at least try to undo the knot of the rope tying her down to the block. Faye forced herself not to make the movements to save herself. If she wanted to keep the people important to her safe, this was the sacrifice she had to make.

Darkness crept in on the edges of her vision and little colored bursts of something like fireworks kept appearing every time that she blinked. Faye had read about this. It had to do with how the brain was shutting down due to a lack of oxygen. Odds things would happen visually, the internet had told her so. The last thing that she saw was the vast expanse of nothingness stretched out infinitely before the blackness claimed her


	7. Chapter 7

God. Oh, no, God.

This wasn't right at all. Or was this was Hell felt like? Was Hell meant to feel like one was eternally damned in this amount of pain? It would make sense, wouldn't it? Suicide was supposedly meant to grant you a one-way ticket straight to Satan himself. Or herself. Faye would believe that such a cruel being would be a woman. So, probably a female. How was she having thoughts at all. Were you still self-aware when you died? She hadn't been brought up with any sort of religion, so the fact that she was even thinking about the possible existence of Hell was an odd feeling.

No. She felt warmth. There was a heavy, soft covering over her body. Her eyes fluttered slightly and she found herself looking at… at a ceiling. A ceiling? But, that would mean that she was indoors. Did Hell even have 'indoors'?

Slowly, Faye wiggled her fingers. Then her toes. Then her arms and legs shifted ever so slightly. Everything was in working order, apparently. This, unfortunately, felt very much as though she was still alive. Alive and breathing. Which meant that her attempt at saving everyone else had been a complete failure.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and she couldn't stop the shuddering gasp of despair that forced itself from her mouth. There was a pause in the vague sound of a voice. What if it was Shannon? Fear choked her sobs back into her chest causing her to hiccup slightly. Her growing panic overwhelmed her ability to make sense of her surroundings and she just squeezed her eyes as tightly closed as she could. Maybe if she focused really hard, she would just will herself to die already.

"Faye?" The soft voice brought her back to the reality of the situation.

It was certainly not what she had been expecting, to be completely honest. Shannon had this way of making herself seem as though she was omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Yeah. It was a lot of 'omni-'s. Still, for a creature seemingly borne from the darkest regions of anyone's cruelest imaginations, she just couldn't stop herself from believing all of those things about her. Instead of being taunted and tortured, there was a very familiar but exceptionally soft voice there to greet her into the land of the living.

"Diana." It was all that she could think to say. The girl in question dropped the phone carelessly on the floor, her eyes never leaving Faye's face, and proceeded to settle herself gently and cautiously next to her form on the bed. Faye coughed and cleared her throat painfully before hoarsely asking, "How… How did I get here? What happened?"

There was silence.

Then Diana ducked her head away, refusing to make any sort of eye contact. Faye found that she was lost for words when her - were they still friends? - assumed caretaker lifted the blanket and crawled underneath to press their bodies flush together. An arm wrapped around her midsection and one leg hesitated ever-so slightly before hooking between her own. This was extremely new territory for Faye. Never had she been in such an intimate position with Diana Meade. The feeling of closeness was unexpectedly exhilarating and intensely frightening at the same time.

She could feel Diana's body wracked with sobs against her own. Faye found that her body was acting of its own accord as she shifted onto her side to face the slighter girl. The moment that her position changed, Diana curled up into her chest tighter and balled her fists in the dry shirt that, now that she thought about it, didn't even belong to her. Her trembling hands found their way into the other's hair. She stroked her head gently, trying her hardest to be a calming presence.

It took a couple of minutes before she realized that Diana was actually talking into her collar bone. She could feel the vibrations and warm breath against her skin.

"Diana?" Faye asked shakily. She received a head shake in response and the feeling of being pulled even tighter against Diana's body. Faye frowned and then carefully cupped the reluctant girl's face in her hands. After a full minute of insistence, she was finally granted eye contact. "Diana, what were you saying?"

"How could you do this, Faye?" It was a whisper, barely audible. "How could you make me watch something like that? How, Faye? How could you do this to me? I pulled you out of the water. I jumped in and rescued you. I resuscitated you. I had to drag you to my car and I got you up the stairs, here. I had to save your life, Faye. You died. Your heart stopped and I don't know what I would have done if…" It hurt Faye to hear such agony and suffering in her voice. "Why, Faye? Why would you possibly think that suicide would make things better for everyone else? Did you even stop to think about how this would impact your mother? Or, or even Melissa? Or Cassie, who really likes you even though you're withher. And what about me, Faye? Did you even take a second and think about how I would feel if you were… if you were…"

Diana apparently couldn't find it in herself to say the words out loud and simply buried her face into a startled Faye's neck. Truth be told, she hadn't thought about how anyone else would feel. At the time, feelings had seemed to be the least important thing to worry about. She could save their lives by giving up her own. It had been the only thing that mattered to her: the safety of her friends and mother.

"You don't understand, Diana." She whispered and she found herself pulling the other girl closer, holding her tightly in a way that was more than a little confusing. It was more than just comforting a friend, Faye could feel that in her friend's body language. It wasn't just platonic, it wasn't strictly romantic either. It was something like a mixture of the two emotions. If Faye had to put a label on it, she would have called it… No, no that was ridiculous. There was no way.

But, then what had Shannon been talking about?

"**Oh**, you are blind."

What did that even mean?

"Shannon isn't who you think she is, Diana. She isn't… You don't know her like I do… I had to do it. I didn't have a choice. As long as I'm alive, you're in danger. Your life, Diana, is in danger. She could… You don't even realize… What I have with her isn't, isn't what you think. It's not real." Faye was on a dangerous path. The truth just kept spilling out and she wasn't able to stop her voice was shaking with anxiety. "It's all fake; pretend. We're not… We're not dating, Diana. She… She's not even human. She's not…"

"Faye!" A somewhat wavering voice from the doorway caught her attention. Faye's head jerked up. There hadn't been any sound of doors opening or closing. How had they gotten inside. She pulled Diana tightly against her and held her there as her eyes widened in terror. There was Cassie being held by the throat by none other than Shannon.

"Been spilling all of our secrets, Faye?" Shannon purred. Her head cocked and her eyes curiously scanned over the scene laid out on the bed. "And it seems you've been… unfaithful, my dearly beloved. I was going to give you more time, but now I need to speed things along. So, you're all going to come with me. Okay?"

Like there was actually any choice involved.


	8. Chapter 8

It seemed that Shannon had known that it would come down to force since the beginning with the way that she had the details planned. Cassie was forced to stand beneath a tree branch on a shaky chair with a noose of razor wire wrapped around her neck and her hands bound tightly behind her back. One false move, one move against Shannon as a combined force and the chair would be kicked away resulting in Cassie having her throat slit and die within minutes if not less than that.

Faye found herself standing over a prearranged altar painted on the wide stump of what must have been a very old tree before it was felled. Salt had been poured over the flat surface in the smooth shape of a triangle. There were a couple of other herbs that she was unfamiliar with at each corner of the triangle. What made her the most nervous was the fact that, as soon as Cassie had been secured, the dagger had been jammed into her hand. The most important part of the ritual, it appeared, was the small wooden locked box in the center of the triangle.

"Diana," Faye whispered helplessly, just loud enough for the girl sitting opposite of her could hear, "Diana, don't listen. No matter what she says, just block it out. Don't think about it. _Please_."

Shannon seemed to be taking great pleasure hovering around Diana. She had the look of a child with a brand new, outstandingly shiny toy. The demon, who had put on such a fantastic show for the audience of Faye's friends before, now had no problem dropping all of her fronts in favor of seeing just how much it would take to break Diana. She brushed her fingers gently over Diana's smooth cheek, causing her to flinch away. The reaction only made her grin widely and her tongue ran over sharp canines in anticipation.

She bent low, hands on either shoulder, and placed her lips close to Diana's ear. It was then that the murmuring started and Faye couldn't avert her gaze even though she desperately tried to. It was amazing just how much the truth of a situation could wound someone else. One would think that words were just that, words. One might even think that witnessing an actual brutal act would be far worse than simply hearing about it from another party. However, it was obviously not the case as Diana's eyes widened and then came to focus on Faye while all of the color drained from her face.

The pieces were falling into place right before her eyes and there was nothing that she could do. Diana's eyes were burning into her and she could see every emotion in the horrified storm within. Anger and an unnerving spark of vengeance, but also sadness, horror, terror, self-loathing and weariness. The eyes moved down her face to go over the fine lines of her neck and collar bone only to settle somewhere around her rib cage. it was apparent what she was being told. Shannon was undoubtedly recounting ever bit of abuse and every mark that she had left on Faye's pale skin.

Faye could only stand there and force her own emotions back as the tears began spilling from Diana's eyes. They were genuine tears on her behalf and that knowledge alone was enough to make her stomach leap wildly with anxiety. What made it worse was watching the bright, toothy smile that gave away some of the extreme pleasure that Shannon took from humiliating her and making her friends hurt and helpless. It felt like it was dragging on forever. Faye, feeling horribly disgusted and nauseated, finally forced her eyes to to focus on the altar once more.

"I think that Diana finally understands that you're a whore, Faye." She flinched at the words. But, she wasn't expecting what happened next.

"Don't you dare call her that!" Diana snapped loudly and furiously. "You forced yourself on her. She didn't, didn't even have a choice!"

Shannon just smiled and ignored her outburst. Then she gestured for Faye to come over to join them. Even as she started to walk around to Diana, her heart threw itself against the cage of bones that protected it and her chest tightened as though compressed by some invisible force. Faye stopped directly behind Diana, trembling as she awaited further instruction. It was pathetic how easily she could be controlled. She hated herself for it. She would never forgive herself for any of it.

The demon took the hand in which Faye held the knife and moved it close to Diana's arms while she gave an amused sounding command of, "Get her blood, Faye, and cover your palms in it. If you don't do it, I'll open her jugular and you'll use her blood and watch while she bleeds out."

Faye stopped breathing for a moment and just stared. It was only when Shannon reached to take the blade that Faye panicked and dug the edge into Diana's forearm in a swift, shaky movement. She dropped the dagger immediately and kicked it as far away from herself as possible. Diana was shaking like a new leaf during the first strong wind and it broke Faye's heart.

"This isn't going to be difficult, don't worry so much Faye. Diana will be left alone after you do this one little thing for me, understand? Just cover your hands now. Now, Faye. I won't be kept waiting, little witch." Faye pressed her hands as gently as she could to the gaping injury. Her stomach lurched as she felt just how warm and sticky the liquid was. It was… unreal. Everything felt like a nightmare.

"Now, just place your hands on the box and repeat what I told you earlier. Focus, Faye. Get this right or both of these girls die right here, right now. And wouldn't it just break your heart if you didn't get to figure out which one you wanted all along?" Faye couldn't stop the blush from rising to her cheeks. Shannon looked at her nails contemplatively before adding, "You know, I had to go to a the coven of Baque just to figure out how to make this spell. Not to mention that your predecessors locked my poor comrade in this damnable box before sinking it in the Mediterranean Sea and before that they cursed the box inside the Cave of the Witches itself in Zugarramurdi. Hell of a thing to do to someone, don't you think? Really didn't want him to get out. I do hope you're good at Spanish pronunciation."

The second that Faye's hands touched the box, her hands jerked back. It had been brief, but she knew exactly what she had felt through the smooth wooden surface of the container. It was a strong, fast, distinctive pulsing of a heartbeat. Still, there was no time to be squeamish or shocked and it was obvious that Shannon was becoming quickly impatient. So, she forced her hands back onto the box and faintly spoke, "Una artesana de las artes mìsticas en la familia Chamberlain, te libero del prísion."

Everything happened in a rush of howling wind and swirling smoke. Sharp stones dug into her back and someone's foot was pressing down on her chest. Somehow, she had ended up flat on her back and, when she opened her eyes, she found out just what was crushing her to death. Shockingly gold irises glared down at her from the depths of blackness and elongated fangs were curved into a furious smile that was more like bared teeth. He looked like he wanted to rip out her throat.

"It's good to see you, Samael."

He just grinned


	9. Chapter 9

_"Faye, I need to talk to you."_

Faye was standing outside of the doorway, blankly considering the wooden frame and the detailed carpentry etched into the surface. Usually, she wouldn't have paid any mind to such a mundane thing. However, being faced with the possibility of an exceptionally violent and painful death at the hands of Samael had forced her to appreciate even the small things even if it was done with the utmost reluctance.

She hadn't even been able to come to this place without a lot of forethought. Hours had been spent in her room thinking over a conversation that seemingly took place months ago when, in reality, it had only been a week or so. When she would wake up in the middle of the night, drenched it sweat, she could swear that she could still feel Shannon's hands all over her or Samael's foot crushing her windpipe.

Reflexively, she rubbed her neck at the memory.

It had been odd and darkly ominous when the two demons had just smirked and left the three girls in the woods as though nothing had happened. But, that was exactly what the pair did. They left Cassie with razor wire wrapped loosely around her neck, Diana with her wounds flowing blood and Faye with injuries to her throat. They hadn't bothered to kill them and Shannon had even had the audacity to coyly look between Diana and Cassie before planting one last long kiss on Faye's lips. Samael had chuckled.

_"Yeah… We should talk."_

It had been a struggle to figure out how to get Cassie released from her trap without injuring her. One wrong move and her jugular vein could have been severed. Her hands had been trembling violently and she had, in the process, ripped open her palms on the blades. It had been a bloody mess, but she managed to extract the blonde from its death grip.

Cassie had fussed over her hands and even ripped off a strip of her own clothing to wrap the wounds. Then she had just gently held her hands. It had been a long moment; one that seemed to extend on for a very long time. Faye had felt strange and unsure of herself. No, not just of herself, but of the whole situation. What was she doing holding hands with this girl right in front of, of Diana? Wait. Why did it matter if Diana saw though? Why would that be the first thought that crossed her mind.

Diana had met her gaze as she gripped tighter onto Cassie. Faye couldn't even begin to explain what passed between them in those few long moments, only that she was startled when her hand was lightly tugged on and she hissed in pain. Cassie looked apologetic but murmured that they should really be getting the hell out of there in case the demons returned. Faye hadn't moved immediately and had, instead, chewed on her lower lip as she tried to make sense of her connection to Cassie. She squeezed slightly to make sure that the other girl was real and received a slight bit of pressure in return.

Yeah, it was really happening.

_"Faye, just let me speak first, okay?"_

_"Spill it already, Diana."_

_"Let me just start by saying that," A hesitant bit of fidgeting. "That I really care about you as… as a friend."_

_"A… friend."_

_"Yeah. A friend."_

Faye raised her hand to knock on the door but stopped herself with a grimace as she saw the still healing gashes in her hands. The slashes were an angry red around the edges and ugly and scabbed over. Still, whenever she overexerted herself or stretched her fingers just a little too far then the skin would split and blood would begin leaking out all over again. It was a cycle that she was not fond of repeating, but there wasn't much that she could do about it.

_"Diana…"_

_"No, Faye, just let me get this out."_

She rapped her knuckles on the door. It was hard to believe that she was actually going to do this with everything that she and Diana had said to each other. Friendship was what they had, apparently. She was hard-pressed to believe that was all that Diana felt especially after how she responded to seeing Cassie kiss her. There had just been so many emotions in her eyes. Betrayal, most prominently. Sure, it had taken a long time for her to see it, but Faye was finally certain about what direction she could go in with Diana if that was what she wanted.

_"Diana, no, I want this. I want to ask you out. Okay? This is what I want, Diana. It's what **I**want."_

_"Faye, stop." A slight raise in the volume of her voice. "Just stop. You can't do this to, to me. To yourself. To Cassie."_

_"What? That doesn't make sense. Diana-"_

_"I'm saying no, Faye." A shuddering breath and then stronger, "I'm, I'm turning you down. No, Faye."_

_"Diana, you made it seem like you… felt… something."_

_"Faye, just listen to me, please."_

She could hear rustling within the house and the sound of footsteps padding down the staircase. Her stomach fluttered violently; she just wasn't sure what to do with herself with the emotions that were racing through her mind. Was it really the right thing to do? Was she making the right decision or should she just wait and pursue the only person really on her mind?

_"I think that you should give Cassie a chance, Faye."_

_"Cassie?"_

_"Yes, I told you before about how she feels. She really likes you, Faye. I've… talked to her about it. I can't do this to Cassie, she's my friend. You should give her a chance."_

_"Why?"_

_"Just do it, please."_

The door opened and Cassie smiled brightly, "Hey, Faye. You can come wait in my room, you know, if you want. I just need another couple of minutes before we head out, is that okay?"

"Sure, blondie. No rush."

_"Look, this just isn't going to happen, Faye. I can't do that to her."_

_"Forget about Cassie, Diana! I know you felt something. You felt our connection, I know you did. You're just making excuses-"_

_"Drop it, Faye. Just give her the chance. Please. For me."_

_"…Fine."_

_"Good…"_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: So, I'm working on the sequel now. Yep... I'm so sorry for all of the angst, it just felt more natural this way. The alternate version of this was forced and stiff, so I had to change it. I'm sorry!


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